Pittsburgh-area Landmarks
Landmarks:
Cathedral of Learning
The centerpiece of Pitt’s Oakland campus is the architecturally stunning Cathedral of Learning. The historical landmark is the second-tallest educational building in the world—standing 42 stories and 535 feet tall.
Construction began in 1926 under Pitt Chancellor John Bowman, who wrote that “the proposed structure will be the most beautiful and outstanding building ever created. I am confident that Pittsburgh will build it.” The Late Gothic Revival-styled structure has come to symbolize both the greatness of Pittsburgh’s history and the city’s progressive future, housing Pitt’s renowned Nationality Rooms, a collection of 27 classrooms honoring the various ethnic groups that laid Pittsburgh’s industrial foundation, as well as numerous academic offices that contribute to Pittsburgh’s economic revitalization.
Contact:
Park L. Rankin, University Architect, 412-624-9534 (office), plr2@pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Park Rankin, contact John Fedele—412-624-4148 (office); 412-225-6384 (cell); jfedele@pitt.edu
Fallingwater
Built in the late 1930s, this architectural wonder 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh is considered to be the most famous house in the world. Fallingwater, often hailed as Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest masterpiece, is perched atop a waterfall with dramatic cantilevered balconies overlooking a rushing stream—an unmatched example of organic design. Originally built as a summer retreat for department store mogul Edgar Kaufmann and his family, Fallingwater has been open to the public for tours since 1964. Pitt Professor of Art and Architecture Franklin Toker spent 18 years researching the story behind Fallingwater for his book Fallingwater Rising (Knopf, 2003), which, according to The New York Times, “brings the house to life on every page.”
Contact:
Franklin Toker, professor of the History of Art and Architecture, 412-648-2419 (office), 412-421-7134 (home), ftoker@pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Franklin Toker, contact Sharon Blake, 412-624-4364 (office), 412-277-6926 (cell), blake@pitt.edu
Heinz Chapel
The Heinz Memorial Chapel, a nondemoninational sanctuary, is a gift from Henry John Heinz, founder of the Heinz Food Company, and his children. Designed by Charles Z. Klauder of Philadelphia, the chapel was dedicated in 1938. Its neo-Gothic style, with a modified cruciform plan, stone vaults, high ceilings, repeated arches, and extensive use of glass are typical of American academic and religious architecture from about 1900 until after World War II.
The chapel’s 23 world renowned stained-glass windows are the work of Charles Jay Connick, considered, by many to be the world’s greatest stained-glass craftsman of the 20th century. The 73-foot transept windows are among the tallest in the world and depict an equal number of men and women. The windows contain 391 identifiable figures, a large supporting cast of anonymous individuals, and an extensive variety of flora and fauna. The iconography combines traditional religious figures and symbols with historic and cultural figures that extend from biblical times through the late 19th century. In these windows, Christopher Columbus stands next to Florence Nightingale and William Penn next to Kapoliani. Each year, Heinz Chapel is the site of numerous concerts, religious services, weddings, memorial services and guided tours. Connick, a native of Western Pennsylvania, received his early training in Pittsburgh.
Contact:
Pat Gibbons, 412-624-4157 (office), pat.gibbons@ia.pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Pat Gibbons, contact Patricia Lomando White, 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), laer@pitt.edu
Pittsburgh’s Neighborhoods/Architecture
Part of the remarkable story of Pittsburgh’s urban reinvention—its resilient neighborhoods and their rich architectural history—can be told by Franklin Toker, a Pitt professor of the history of art and architecture. Toker is an expert on the treasure trove of architectural styles within Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods that include Victorian, Art Deco, Gothic Revival, among others. He is well acquainted with two of America’s most famous buildings: H. H. Richardson's Allegheny County Courthouse in Downtown Pittsburgh and Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural masterpiece, Fallingwater.
Contact:
Franklin Toker, professor of the History of Art and Architecture, 412-648-2419 (office), 412-421-7134 (home), ftoker@pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Franklin Toker, contact Sharon Blake, 412-624-4364 (office), 412-277-6926 (cell), blake@pitt.edu
Pittsburgh: City of Bridges
The 2006 book Bridges of Pittsburgh tabulated that Pittsburgh has 446 bridges spanning its three rivers and multitudinous valleys and gullies—superseding Venice as the recognized City of Bridges.
Pitt civil engineer Kent Harries is familiar with the history, condition, architectural styles, and upkeep of Pittsburgh’s famous bridges. The city houses a collection of bridges that range in age (the oldest is the Smithfield Street Bridge built in 1883), style, height, and length. Though spectacular, the bridges of Pittsburgh, as a whole, require considerable care reflective of their variety, age, constant use, and exposure to Pennsylvania’s renowned erratic weather.
Harries is a well-known expert on civil infrastructure and the issues surrounding the construction, condition, and upkeep of bridges. In the wake of the August 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35 bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Harries’ analysis drew national and international attention to the condition of U.S. bridges and infrastructure.
In general, Harries focuses on several structural engineering areas, including bridge design, maintenance, and degradation; seismic design and building retrofitting; the design and behavior of high-rise structures; the use of such nontraditional materials as bamboo in civil infrastructure; and the history and philosophy of science and technology. Among Harries’ many projects, he works with an engineering group in India to promote, design, and build bamboo structures in the Indian Himalayas. Unlike concrete and masonry, bamboo is native to the region, resistant to the area’s frequent earthquakes, and gentle on the steep, loose-soil hillsides. Harries’ lab is developing comprehensive material standards for bamboo construction.
Contact:
Kent Harries, assistant professor and William Kepler Whiteford Faculty Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, 412-624-9873 (office), kharries@pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Kent Harries, contact Morgan Kelly at 412-624-4356 (office), 412-897-1400 (cell), mekelly@pitt.edu
University of Pittsburgh Architecture
Pitt’s campus features a number of examples of exceptional architecture, including the Cathedral of Learning, with its stunning three-story-high Commons Room; the 110-year-old William Pitt Union, formerly the Schenley Hotel, with its gracefully-restored interiors; Alumni Hall, once a Masonic Temple; Heinz Chapel, whose 73-foot transept windows are among the tallest in the world; the Frick Fine Arts Building, built in the Italian Renaissance style, complete with an inner cloister-like courtyard; the Learning Research and Development Center, which appears to tilt backward at a 45-degree angle; and the Litchfield Towers, a cluster of three cylindrical dormitories.
Contact:
Franklin Toker, professor of the History of Art and Architecture, 412-648-2419 (office), 412-421-7134 (home), ftoker@pitt.edu
Park L. Rankin, University Architect, 412-624-9534 (office), plr2@pitt.edu
For assistance in reaching Franklin Toker or Park Rankin, contact Sharon Blake, 412-624-4364 (office), 412-277-6926 (cell), blake@pitt.edu